Suspicious APT Package Manager Network Connection

Last updated 5 days ago on 2024-09-23
Created 8 months ago on 2024-02-01

About

Detects suspicious network events executed by the APT package manager, potentially indicating persistence through an APT backdoor. In Linux, APT (Advanced Package Tool) is a command-line utility used for handling packages on Debian-based systems, providing functions for installing, updating, upgrading, and removing software along with managing package repositories. Attackers can backdoor APT to gain persistence by injecting malicious code into scripts that APT runs, thereby ensuring continued unauthorized access or control each time APT is used for package management.
Tags
Domain: EndpointOS: LinuxUse Case: Threat DetectionTactic: PersistenceTactic: Command and ControlTactic: Defense EvasionData Source: Elastic Defend
Severity
medium
Risk Score
47
MITRE ATT&CK™

Persistence (TA0003)(opens in a new tab or window)

Command and Control (TA0011)(opens in a new tab or window)

Defense Evasion (TA0005)(opens in a new tab or window)

License
Elastic License v2(opens in a new tab or window)

Definition

Rule Type
Event Correlation Rule
Integration Pack
Prebuilt Security Detection Rules
Index Patterns
logs-endpoint.events.*
Related Integrations

endpoint(opens in a new tab or window)

Query
sequence by host.id with maxspan=5s
  [process where host.os.type == "linux" and event.type == "start" and event.action == "exec" and
   process.parent.name == "apt" and process.args == "-c" and process.name in (
     "bash", "dash", "sh", "tcsh", "csh", "zsh", "ksh", "fish"
    )
  ] by process.entity_id
  [network where host.os.type == "linux" and event.action == "connection_attempted" and event.type == "start" and not (
     destination.ip == null or destination.ip == "0.0.0.0" or cidrmatch(
     destination.ip, "10.0.0.0/8", "127.0.0.0/8", "169.254.0.0/16", "172.16.0.0/12", "192.0.0.0/24", "192.0.0.0/29",
     "192.0.0.8/32", "192.0.0.9/32", "192.0.0.10/32", "192.0.0.170/32", "192.0.0.171/32", "192.0.2.0/24",
     "192.31.196.0/24", "192.52.193.0/24", "192.168.0.0/16", "192.88.99.0/24", "224.0.0.0/4", "100.64.0.0/10",
     "192.175.48.0/24","198.18.0.0/15", "198.51.100.0/24", "203.0.113.0/24", "240.0.0.0/4", "::1", "FE80::/10",
     "FF00::/8", "172.31.0.0/16"
     )
   ) and not process.executable == "/usr/bin/apt-listbugs"
  ] by process.parent.entity_id

Install detection rules in Elastic Security

Detect Suspicious APT Package Manager Network Connection in the Elastic Security detection engine by installing this rule into your Elastic Stack.

To setup this rule, check out the installation guide for Prebuilt Security Detection Rules(opens in a new tab or window).